mikefc Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Hello all, we live in New England with two litter mates,( Frannie and Chloe ) now just 3.5 years old. I'd love for them to have the opportunity to run for their physical and mental health. Right now their curiosity and prey drive are very strong so they must stay leashed. They do have a pretty large kennel 30' x 40' to run and play in but it's not the same as running they way they want to. Does anyone here know of a coursing lure group? We're not looking for anything all that formal or serious, just some good weekend fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Mike, They are sight hounds, they will always need to be leashed, not just now. Depending on how recent they retired, I would probably go with straight line coursing, known as LGRA (Large Gazehound Racing Association). Do a search for LGRA in your area and take your hounds for some fun. We have a group here in the Chicagoland area and I have taken a few of my hounds, they love it and get a great run out of it. Be sure your hounds are not overweight at all before you take them to any event. Good gauge is to look at their race weight and be sure you are within a pound or two of that weight. Otherwise if they are 5-10lbs over their race weight, and you take them to course, there is a good chance they are not in good enough shape and will injure themselves. Greyhounds do not know how to go 75%, they only go 100% when they are chasing something. If they are just off the track (less than a year) and still close to race weight, then i would say the LGRA would be great. There are those that do coursing, but you have to realize that coursing is set up for sharp turns and such and there is an increase in chance for injury with that type of running for greyhounds. Not to say its not something to do, there are people here that course their greyhounds, but they have been doing it for a while and know how to wrap the legs and condition their hounds. Chad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotaina Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Piggy-backing on Chad's post, to find a coursing group near you, check out www.asfa.org. In addition to making sure your hounds are at or close to racing weight and physically fit, also make sure you keep nails trim. Overly long nails = broken/dislocated toes, especially over varied terrain. Edited March 12, 2015 by turbotaina Quote Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi."Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 When the snow melts, you can join the play dates at GPA-Mass. which are in Middleboro. Greyhounds only, fenced in large field, muzzles provided if you don't have your own! Lots of nice hounds and people! You don't have to have gotten your dog from them either! Check out their web site and/or Facebook page. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefc Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Frannie and Chloe are from Middleboro, last August. That's a greyt idea I hadn't thought of. Also, the point about straight line running makes a lot of sense to me. Why increase risk of injury. Chad, I'm well that greyhounds are sight hounds. And these sisters are not my first two. Lander, my boy who passed in July was a unique, off leash grey. There are some out there. Lander and I were deeply on the same page, there was never a doubt in my mind from the first time I let him off. He was about seven by that time. One of my favorite memories of Lander is when we would do wooded trails. If he wanted to go longer and I didn't, he would stand on the trail and obstinately tell me he wasn't going home just yet. All I had to do was return to the car and open the hatch. I encourage you to checkout Jen Bachelor, you can find her on youtube. She trains greys for agility. She proves it's the dog not the breed that has certain personality traits. I'm sure you heard that grey don't swim either? She has one that thinks it is a retriever. It is so amazing to watch him retrieve a water fowl decoy! Their instinct to chase is sometimes overruled by their instant to please you. That's what makes greyhounds not the best dog, but the best animal in the universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Mike, Read "Trust, the deadly disease": http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/advice/general_advice/trust_a_deadly_disease.shtml or just go on a few lost hound searches. Regardless, this isnt that type of discussion that you asked for. I do think coursing is a lot of fun for you hounds as long as you keep them in shape. Its so tough to keep them in the same shape that they come off the track, but they sure look good when they are first off the track. Chad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AngelPup Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Hi Mike, I'm also from Rhode Island (central) and have taken my first greyhound to check out a lure coursing club in New Hampshire. Matt from GPA Mass runs his dogs there when he can, so if you want more info on it, give him a call. I thought it was a lot of fun, but just didn't have the time to commit to it. http://www.granitestategreyhounds.com/ Also, I second George's suggestion to attend the play groups at GPA. They are a lot of fun and the greys get to burn off some energy. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytHoundPoet Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 (edited) I run my Ibizan Hounds and was running one of my Greyhounds (I recently retired her due to soundness in the yard issues). I would be happy to answer any questions that you have. You are in region 9 for ASFA and can see clubs here: http://www.asfa.org/clubs/region9.htmlThis is a nice starting point article to get you some basic info: http://greyhoundcrossroads.com/index.php?page=lure-coursing Lure coursing and straight racing are something you do with an already fit, sound dog. If the dog is not in good, hard running condition it is more likely to sustain injuries. Straight racing is a lot less "intense" as it is much shorter with no turns, but the dogs still go all out. I often hear people complain that they went for a fun run and their dogs were sore for days. This should not happen and is a sign that the dog is not at the fitness level needed for these sports. My performance Greyhound can, and has, run back to back days of lure coursing trials, with minimum of 2-3 runs each day, and never been sore like that. Maintaining hard racing/performance condition is actually possible off the track, despite popular opinion, and just takes a lot of work and most adopters simply don't do it (and usually have no reason to if the dogs are just pets). Nail length is important, as is getting a good vet check to assess soundness. They are super fun sports and the dogs get to simulate what they were bred for. Edited March 14, 2015 by GreytHoundPoet Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefc Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Hi Mike, I'm also from Rhode Island (central) and have taken my first greyhound to check out a lure coursing club in New Hampshire. Matt from GPA Mass runs his dogs there when he can, so if you want more info on it, give him a call. I thought it was a lot of fun, but just didn't have the time to commit to it. http://www.granitestategreyhounds.com/ Also, I second George's suggestion to attend the play groups at GPA. They are a lot of fun and the greys get to burn off some energy. Good luck!! I'm pretty central as well, Lincoln, Matt's a great guy I'll ask him about NH. What's your dog(s) name. Maybe we will meet at a play date in the spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I run my Ibizan Hounds and was running one of my Greyhounds (I recently retired her due to soundness in the yard issues). I would be happy to answer any questions that you have. You are in region 9 for ASFA and can see clubs here: http://www.asfa.org/clubs/region9.html This is a nice starting point article to get you some basic info: http://greyhoundcrossroads.com/index.php?page=lure-coursing Lure coursing and straight racing are something you do with an already fit, sound dog. If the dog is not in good, hard running condition it is more likely to sustain injuries. Straight racing is a lot less "intense" as it is much shorter with no turns, but the dogs still go all out. I often hear people complain that they went for a fun run and their dogs were sore for days. This should not happen and is a sign that the dog is not at the fitness level needed for these sports. My performance Greyhound can, and has, run back to back days of lure coursing trials, with minimum of 2-3 runs each day, and never been sore like that. Maintaining hard racing/performance condition is actually possible off the track, despite popular opinion, and just takes a lot of work and most adopters simply don't do it (and usually have no reason to if the dogs are just pets). Nail length is important, as is getting a good vet check to assess soundness. They are super fun sports and the dogs get to simulate what they were bred for. Totally agree, the dogs need to be fit or they will hurt themselves. Nothing worse than seeing an unsound or unfit greyhound being run behind a lure because they are born to chase and they don't usually self-limit. Mouse is a great little lure courser but the courses here never exceed 400 metres. We recently ran 2x courses on back to back days and she pulled up fine from that just a little tired, which I think was mainly due to the travel and camping (was her first night camping!) Straight line coursing is cool but it's sort of a 'blink and you will miss it' type affair with greyhounds! It's good to start with if your dogs are relatively fit and are physically sound. I think you need to find some fenced in areas where they can run on their own accord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AngelPup Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I'm pretty central as well, Lincoln, Matt's a great guy I'll ask him about NH. What's your dog(s) name. Maybe we will meet at a play date in the spring Lincoln is WAY north from me (Coventry)! LOL! We do live in RI after all. Our current Grey is Cindy Lou. Her racing name is I Shall Not Sin. It would be great to meet you and your pups at a play date! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefc Posted March 28, 2015 Author Share Posted March 28, 2015 I'll look for Cindy Lou and you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AngelPup Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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